As a social drink I usually settle for a wine around £3 - £5, but stretch to double that price for a special occasion. I couldn't believe my luck when I found this wine at less than £3 a bottle. Although this does not match the quality of Vine Vale, it makes up for it in price - see below....

Marques Del Norte - Rioja, North Eastern Spain - Imported by V.A.S.C. - ASDA - £2.97

The label say's Rich smooth red wine. Fruit driven with ripe berry characteristics. Grapes - Tempranillo and Garnacha. Serve at room temperature, on its own or with spicy meat dishes. Best enjoyed young and fresh. Carol say's I won't argue with the label. This wine doesn't last long in my wine rack and is a must in my weekly shopping trolley - buy 5 bottles of wine at ASDA and get 5% off - and I do! I can drink this wine on its own or with a curry and I enjoy it even more knowing that it cost so little. It is smooth, fruity and easy to drink on any occasion. Tipsy Trio say We like it best at room temperature. It is more acidic when chilled and room temperature mellows it and brings out the smooth berry flavours which we like very much. Anyway, after a few very enjoyable glasses, we can do enough chilling for the wine! We couldn't believe the price of this wine and all agree that the affordability makes this ASDA Rioja even more drinkable. For a social wine it can't be beaten on price. It is superb value for money and is simply a very nice drink either with food or on its own.

Out of a possible 10, the Tipsy Trio awarded Marques Del Norte Rioja an overall score of 6. We wanted to give another thumb for affordability but as our marks are for quality and taste we didn't dare! Anyway 6 is above average, but it gets full marks for price.

Vine Vale - Grenache - Barossa, South Australia - Imported by Peter Lehmann - ASDA - £3.64

The label say's This soft but vibrant wine is made from grapes grown in the famous Barossa Valley of South Australia. The 1999 vintage gave us a wine with soft berry flavours and a satisfying finish that is ideal with most Mediterranean dishes. A 'drink now' wine that can be served slightly chilled if desired Carol say's This one was recommended on TV's Food and Drink. My husband, Paul thought I might like it and he was right. I've tried both the 1999 and 1998 vintage and they are equally as nice. It's an easy to drink, very smooth and fruity wine that compliments strong flavoured foods and is also nice as a social drink. Be careful though, at 14% it's about as strong as red wine gets. Tipsy Trio say We tried Vine Vale at room temperature and all agreed that maybe we did detect a hint of a smooth fudge flavour together with blackberries. Or was it raspberries? After chilling slightly (the wine as well as us) the taste definitely changed to more smokey, yes I got the smoke, and a hint of spice. We all preferred it slightly chilled but gave it the thumbs up both ways.

Out of a possible 10, the Tipsy Trio awarded Vine Vale an overall score of 8. This is a versatile wine that is very affordable. March 2002 - ASDA, Woodhouse have sold me their last bottle of Vine Vale - what a pity! I am told that they are not going to stock it in future but other branches of ASDA may continue with it. Please let me know if you find it anywhere else locally. I am looking for something to take its place! £££££££££££££ Best Local Buy's Tribal Red, Cape Red, South African - £2.49 per bottle usual price £3.99 - Kwiksave, Warsop Medium bodied fruity, good with cold meats and cheese. Western Wines are the importers of Tribal Red and other popular wines such as Kumala and Out of Africa (very nice, but a little more expensive). They also do Tribal White. - Marino, Berberana, Spain - 'Two for a Fiver' - TESCO, Ollerton. A light and fruity red at a good price. French Connection Grenache Syrah - ASDA, Woodhouse - Another rather nice and very versatile wine. Will accompany a meal, yet nice just to drink on its own. Medium bodied, fruity and spicy with soft tannins. Goes very nicely with a curry - we've tried it! It's at its best with food but is one of those wines that is OK for any occasion. French Connection are combining the tastes of traditional French wines with modern 'New World' tastes. Wines are grown and bottled in France using modern, rather than traditional techniques and overseen by Australian winemakers. For the best local deals on beers see the section on Bargain Booze>>> £££££££££££££ Have you got a wine that you'd like to recommend? Tell us where you buy it locally, how much it costs and any other comments you'd like to make about it. Similarly if you would like to submit an article about food, whether it's a favourite recipe, a food item, or a pub meal, we'd like to know. E.mail us the details

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